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Structure records so people can find and understand them
A record page should make its identity and context apparent in both its visual layout and its underlying structure. Use real headings in a logical hierarchy for the record title, species name, date, location, and descriptive text. Do not choose heading levels only for their visual size.
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Label search fields, filters, sort controls, and record actions with names that explain what they do. A result link or image control should identify the particular record, not announce only “view” or “image.” These practices support clear navigation and labels under WCAG 2.2.
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Keep collection context and a route to primary content easy to locate. On a small screen, do not make an unlabeled menu the only way to reach search, filters, or record details. When a menu or dialog opens, check that it does not cover the focused item and that people can move into, use, and leave it with a keyboard.
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Write image alternatives for the image’s purpose
Decide whether each image is informative, decorative, or functional before adding its alternative text. The W3C Images Tutorial explains how text alternatives depend on purpose and context.
- Informative photograph: Provide a concise equivalent conveying the essential information. In a bird-identification collection, that may mean the species and a visible identifying feature; a general park archive may need a shorter description.
- Decorative image: Use an empty alternative so assistive technology can skip it.
- Image that acts as a control: Name the action or destination, such as opening the record, rather than describing the image alone.
Avoid turning every thumbnail alternative into a long inventory of visual details. Put extended interpretation in the record description or another nearby text field when it matters to the collection’s purpose. Do not remove meaningful images to create a text-only version: text alternatives can help screen-reader users and people who turn images off on mobile, while removing images can reduce access and functionality.
Make pages work at narrow widths and zoom
Check ordinary record and collection pages at a viewport equivalent to 320 CSS pixels, and at enlarged zoom. WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.4.10 (Reflow), at Level AA, calls for preserving information and functionality without two-dimensional scrolling for vertically scrolling content at that width. The exception is content whose meaning or use requires a two-dimensional layout, such as some maps or data tables.
For content that genuinely needs two dimensions, explain its purpose and provide an accessible way to understand the information. Do not treat the exception as permission for unrelated page content to overflow horizontally.
Make navigation and controls work with touch and keyboard
Test search, menus, filters, sorting, record links, and image viewers using touch and keyboard input. Keyboard-operable controls need visible focus under WCAG 2.2; people should be able to see which item will respond next. The W3C’s mobile accessibility guidance and its guidance on applying WCAG 2.2 to mobile applications explain how accessibility guidance applies in mobile contexts.
At Level AA, WCAG 2.2’s Target Size (Minimum) criterion sets a minimum of 24 by 24 CSS pixels, subject to exceptions such as adequate spacing or an equivalent control. The 44-by-44 CSS-pixel enhanced target-size criterion is Level AAA, not the AA minimum. Apply the standard’s actual exceptions rather than assuming that every control must meet one dimension in every circumstance.
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Automated checks and visual inspection cannot establish that a workflow is usable with assistive technology. Include keyboard navigation and mobile assistive technology in evaluation; no particular wildlife archive is established as having passed those checks by the guidance cited here.
Use metadata to support retrieval and context
Descriptive and technical metadata help an archive retrieve and manage digitized records; semantic metadata and relationships can also help users find and understand them. Consider which fields collection users need to identify an item: names and classification, creator or source where known, date, location, collection context, rights or access information, and media characteristics. The appropriate field set depends on the archive’s collection policy and data model.
The W3C guidance on metadata describes its role in describing and finding resources and associating alternate content versions. The National Archives and Records Administration’s digitization strategy addresses retrieval, management, and context in archival digitization. Metadata should support the interface, not stand in for information that the page itself fails to communicate.
Plan access features for audio and video
Choose audiovisual features according to the content and delivery format. Captions, transcripts, and subtitles can serve different access needs; no single feature meets every user’s needs for every recording. The Federal Agencies Digital Guidelines Initiative’s guidance for accessibility features in AV collections discusses features and their implementation in files or accompanying materials. Make each available feature easy to discover and operate on mobile as well as by keyboard.
Publish a statement and assess the actual experience
An accessibility statement can communicate what has been assessed and describe known access information, but it is not a substitute for evaluating your archive. The Natural History Museum’s website accessibility statement says its Wildlife Photographer of the Year site was tested against WCAG 2.2 AA in June 2025. The museum describes work on logical heading hierarchy and replacing “WPY” with “Wildlife Photographer of the Year” for clarity. These are the museum’s own statements, not independent verification or evidence about another archive.
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